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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29280825">It's Always 7:48 Here</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnight_Run/pseuds/Midnight_Run'>Midnight_Run</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hades (Video Game 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Minor Hypnos/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:41:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,455</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29280825</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnight_Run/pseuds/Midnight_Run</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just another day in the Underworld.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hypnos &amp; Thanatos (Hades Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Chocolate Box - Round 6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It's Always 7:48 Here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/doxian/gifts">doxian</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a light tap at his shoulder, careful and familiar, that roused him from his slumber. He wasn't surprised to open his eyes and find Zagreus there, but it was still nice. Usually when something woke him, it was someone who would yell at him. Zag never yelled at him or laughed at him, not that he would have minded if he did, just... it was nice that he didn't.</p><p>"Hey mate."</p><p>"Oh! Hey," he replied, drawing the word out, long and still a bit heavy with sleep, with half-remembered dreams or memories; pleasant, soft things that made him feel warm and wanted. "You're back."</p><p>"I am," Zagreus replied with a wry smile. "I see you're still making good use of the chaise."</p><p>"Oh sure, I mean, it's surprisingly comfortable for something crafted by shades who can't actually use stuff like this," he replied, grinning and sitting up, snagging the list that had fallen into his lap when he drifted off. Zagreus' latest cause of death was etched at the bottom of the list beside his name. It was definitely one he'd seen on there before. Of course, given the number of times Zagreus has dragged himself out of the bloody waters of the Styx, he was pretty sure he'd managed to exhaust all the possible ways there were to die in the Underworld and the world above and maybe even some ways it shouldn't be possible to die at all.</p><p>Zagreus was special that way.</p><p>It was part of what made him so interesting.</p><p>"You know..." he began thoughtfully, a smile quirking his lips at the way Zagreus' wry smile turned into something fond and resigned as he spoke. It was nice to be appreciated, especially by Zagreus. When they'd been small, Zagreus had been obviously more Thanatos' friend than his and that had been okay, because why<em> wouldn't</em> he want to be friends with Thanatos? Than was great, really great, and Zagreus was pretty great too so it only made sense. "Than must be getting <em>awfully</em> tired of dragging you back here time after time. I mean, there must be an easier way to make a date."<br/>
<br/>
Zagreus face turned the most delightful shade of red at that. Not all that different than the color of the river that just spat him up, really.<br/>
<br/>
"I don't do it on <em>purpose</em>."<br/>
<br/>
"Okay," Hypnos agreed magnanimously. "I mean it's not like I'd blame you for it. It's nice to see him sometimes, don't you think? I mean, I think so."</p><p>"You really miss him, don't you?" </p><p>Nervous laughter bubbled up unbidden as he remembered the last time he'd seen Thanatos. He was pretty sure if he'd frowned at him any harder his face would have cracked. "Oh! Oh, no, I mean, not me, I mean, it's not even like we're even that close, right? Right. It's just... I'm thinking about you, ya know?"</p><p>Zagreus laughed, taking pity on him by threading fingers into his hair and ruffling it hard enough to nearly dislodge his sleepmask.</p><p>Time passed as time did in the Underworld in a parade of death and shades and Cerberus gnawing on the enormous bones of... something he felt better not identifying. </p><p>And also by not passing at all, because it was always the same time which was... kind of confusing if you thought about it for too long.</p><p>And then Thanatos was there, appearing in a flurry of light and sound and looking... different than usual, though he couldn't figure what the difference was exactly.</p><p>"Zag... er... Zagreus said," Thanatos began, not quite looking at him, cheeks a little red. "That I should come by and say... hello. That you'd... like it, if I came by and said... hello. So... hello."</p><p>Oh, yeah, that was... that was a weird feeling. Like his heart was trying to climb right out of his throat. </p><p>Not that he really had a heart.</p><p>Not that any of them did. </p><p>Except Zagreus. </p><p>Sweet, mortal-adjacent Zagreus who was very thoughtful even though he couldn't seem to stop walking into the boiling blood river and dying or letting the warriors of Elysium shoot him too much or letting rats kill him. He really didn't understand about the rats. Zagreus was the only person he'd seen get killed by a rat. Usually it was like... lots of rats or something, but not Zagreus. </p><p>And Thanatos... Thanatos was finally looking at him, a little, out of the corner of his eye, his lips folding into that little frown he used to wear sometimes when Zagreus did something he didn't understand. </p><p>Oh! He should say something.</p><p>He should definitely say something.</p><p>"Hi! It's, uh, really good to see you!"</p><p>Yes, smooth, very smooth, Hypnos. Well done.</p><p>"Is it?" </p><p>Oh dear, he still looked confused.</p><p>"Yes! I..."</p><p>"I heard you were doing better. Here. At your job."</p><p>"Oh, um, yeah, I... um... yeah," he replied, fidgeting with his pen. "I've been... working at it. Ah, so, did you... I mean... since you're here... maybe you want to... grab a drink? In the lounge? Zagreus keeps giving me these bottles of Ambrosia faster than I can drink them."</p><p>Thanatos did smile then and if he had a heart to beat like mortals did, like Zagreus did, he's pretty sure it would have stopped at the sight. "Yes," Thanatos commented, voice warm and eyes meeting his. "He does that."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, of course, I guess you would know, huh?"</p><p>It wasn't like he didn't know he wasn't the only one on the receiving end of Zagreus' kindness.</p><p>"Did I say something wrong?" Thanatos inquired, his eyes narrowing slightly and that... that was new. And weird. It was weird, wasn't it? Or maybe it was just the sudden concern. He fidgeted with the seal on the bottle, picking away at the cork with his fingernails, it was really interesting now that he thought about it. He could stare at it all day. He could....</p><p>A heavy metal gauntlet settled over his fidgeting fingers.</p><p>
  <em>Oh.</em>
</p><p>That was new.</p><p>He chanced a glance up to find Thanatos staring down at him with that same narrowed, intense gaze, "Hypnos."</p><p>"Oh, uh, hey, no! Of course not, I was just thinking that you could maybe share this with Zagreus instead. I mean, it's not even like I need it, right? Lots of work to do and all that." </p><p>Thanatos was frowning at him again.</p><p>Was he gonna yell at him again? </p><p>Not that he probably wouldn't deserve it, but....</p><p>A warm arm slung itself around his neck and he was pretty sure he saw Thanatos’ brain actually break when Zagreus' other arm slung itself around Than's neck, narrowly missing the scythe that Than vanished from existence with a thought. Oh boy, that would have been embarrassing. Nothing like killing yourself on Death’s own scythe to really round out the list. That would have been a hard one to top.</p><p>"I'm stealing you both away to the lounge."</p><p>"W-what?" Hypnos stuttered as surprised by the sudden invitation as he was by the grip that was already propelling him towards the torch-lit lounge, filled with shades and the mildly nauseating light reflecting off the disco ball and... was Than's face <em>red</em>? </p><p>Was he <em>blu</em>... no, no, obviously not.</p><p>Why would Thanatos blush?</p><p>That was a silly thought.</p><p>"I can handle this myself, Zagreus," Thanatos snapped, sounding vaguely offended. "And you should not encourage him to..."</p><p>"Take a break once in a while?" Zagreus replied easily, unflustered. "I think you could both use a break every now and than and what better time than now, while Father is out."</p><p>Hypnos glanced towards the desk and found Lord Hades was indeed missing from his usual place.</p><p>Where did he even <em>go</em> anyway?</p><p>Did he have <em>friends</em>?</p><p>Was he taking a <em>nap</em>?</p><p>A nap sounded good right about then, but Zagreus’ arm was warm around his neck and Thanatos wasn't leaving, was even letting Zagreus steer him towards the lounge.</p><p>Okay, so maybe this was worth staying awake for. Whatever it was.</p><p>Before he knew it they were all three leaning against one of the neatly designed tables, the bottle open and glasses poured.</p><p>Thanatos swirled his ice around in his glass for a long moment before raising it a bit and fixing Hypnos with a look that felt like it seared right through him, "You are doing much better."</p><p>His face burned and he found himself nodding quickly, lifting his own glass and offering a quick, "Thanks for spending time with me."</p><p>Zagreus looked somewhat pained, but he was still smiling as he raised his own glass to clink against theirs, "If you both keep doing your best, I'm sure you'll get there."</p>
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